Method of tunneling



Nov. 24, 1931. D. J. OROURKE METHOD OF TUNNELING Filed June 30, 1951 INVE NT R .DA/IZL 77? BY MR .AT'TO NEIV.

Patented Nov. 24, 1931 PATENT OFFICE DANIEL J. ORO'URKE, 0F PHOENIX, ARIZONA METHOD OF TUNNELING Application filed .Tune 30, 1931.

My invention relates to methods of tunneling.

It has for its object to provide an improved method of tunneling on an inclined face, of the type described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 454,008, filed May 20th, 1930, whereby that method is especially adapted to use in connection with large tunnels, and whereby it is made possible to increase the elasticity of the method by increasing the number of cycles in the advance of the face, at the same time that it is made possible'to reduce the drilling footage required and expedite drilling of the face, all while still obtaining the marked advantages of my improved method referred to above.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration two em bodiments which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of an inclined race as apportioned in accordance with my improved method;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the tunnel showing the improved drilling in section three of the face;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the tunnel.

showing the apparatus working on the face in the last cycle; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing a modified arrangement for six cycles.

In this improvement I provide an inclined face sloping upward from the tunnel bottom,

7 herein as preferably on a 30 pitch, and remove the rock from the face in successive shallow ortions, all in the general manner describef in my co-pending application and while utilizing the same transposable drilling and mucking apparatus therein described for operating on laterally offset sections in a single transverse series, but herein I have provided a new development of that method whereby it is especially adapted for use in large tunnels.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, it will be noted that I divide or apportion the face, in effect, both longitudinally and transversely into Serial No. 548,085.

four, rather than two, sections, herein sections 1, 2, 3 and 4:. Of these, the longitudinally spaced sections 1 and 3 are on the same side of the longitudinal center line 5 of the tunnel, and the longitudinally spaced sections 4 and 2 on the opposite side thereof. Moreover, the transversely spaced sections 1 and 2 are below a transverse center line 6, while the sections 4 and 3 are above the latter. Thus, by reason of the transverse division of the face, it will be observed that the face is divided into four sections each of substan' tially equal size and of substantially half the relative size of the sections described in my previously mentioned application.

In operating upon these new sections of the face, 1 also follow a new sequence of operation wherein, in addition to operating simultaneously on one transverse series, 1 operate on a plurality of transverse series and also at times work on laterally offset sections of different transverse series. More particularly, assuming that section No. 1 has been drilled and shot, I drill N 0. 2 while No. 1 is being mucked out, and then, rearranging the drilling and mucking mechanisms, 1 drill N o. 3 while N 0. 2 is being mucked out, and thereafter drill No. 4: while N o. 3 is being mucked out, and then redrill N o. 1 while No. 4; is being mucked out. Thus, it will be observed that four cycles are provided which substantially increase the elasticity of the method, the cycles being increased from two to four, at the same time that a continuous operation is made possible.

- As regards drilling, attention is further directed to the fact that during the drilling operations on the several sections, the several drill holes 7, which are between the top and bottom holes, are inserted at right angles to the surface A of the inclined face, as distinguished from vertically as previously taught. As a result, I am able to reduce the needed drilling approximately ten percent while still enabling the desired shallow section to be re 9 moved effectively. Also, it will be noted that, instead of the face extending clear to the tunnel top, a short upstanding portion 8 is left at the upper end thereof to facilitate drilling at the tunnel roof. It will, of course,

also be understood that angularly disposed top and bottom holes are inserted as described in my prior case and that the holes in each section are shot after drilling to separate and break up the desired shallow surface portions of rock in such manner as to enable the rock to be handled by the scraper when subsequently operating on that section.

In carrying out my improved method it will be understood that the same apparatus is used as taught in my previous application. Herein, this includes a plurality of drills of any suitable type, such, for example as hammer drills 9, and a mucking mechanism of the type including a car loader frame 10 and a co-operating scraper 11 adapted to scrape the muck down the inclined face A and up on to the loader frame 10 and into a car 12 when the scraper cables are suitably connected. Also it will be understood that, as in my preceding construction, a trackway 13 is provided preferably having spurs leading to both sides of the longitudinal center line 5, so that the scraping and loading mechanism may be readily transposed from one to another laterally spaced portion of the face. As heretofore, air lines for the drills are also provided on opposite sides of the face in such manner as to permit the disconnection and reconnection of the drills on opposite sides of the latter. Here, however, it will be noted that in view of the division of the face A transversely, I preferably provide a plurality of air supply lines 14 on each side of the tunnel, while each of the supply lines has an extension 15 adapted to permit it to be used in drilling its adjacent section of the face.

In the use of my improved method, it will be understood that with the mucking mechanism disposed, for example, 011 the ri hthand trackway and when operating on a ace, such as shown in Figure 1 which has the section 1 thereof already shot, the mucking mechanism is opposite section 1 and connected at the top of the latter to scrape down the section 1, while the drills 9 are simultaneously disposed on and operating on section 2. Upon the completion of these operations 011 sections 1 and 2, the drills are transferred to section 3 to begin the drilling operation there, while the mucking mechanism is transferred to section 2. They are then again simultaneously operated. Upon the completion of their simultaneous operation on these sections, the drills are transferred to section 4, while the mucking mechanism is transferred to section 3 and both are again simultaneously operated. Thereafter, the mucking mechanism is transferred to section 1 and the drills are trans ferred to section 1, whereupon simultaneous operation completes the removal of the first shallow layer or portion of the face while redrilling section 1 of the next, see Fig. 3.

As a result of my improvement, my improved mechanism is especially adapted to use in connection with large faces, where the area of the inclined face is such as to make simultaneous operations upon half of the whole area undesirable for any reason. Thus, for example, in a tunnel the diameter of which is 56 feet, the inclined face A is 112 feet long, and each section 1, 2, 3, 4c, is 56 feet long, rather than 112 feet long as would be the case if the face was only divided into two laterally offset portions. At all times it will also be noted that the drills and mucking mechanism are operating on opposite sides of the center line of the tunnel and simultaneously in such manner as to enable the advantages of my previous improvement to be obtained, while, due to the increase in the number of cycles, without unduly increasing the size of the sections upon which they are working. Attention is also directed to the fact that through the new steps including mucking section 2, of what may be called the lower series of sections, while section 3 of the upper series is being drilled, and mucking section 4- 0f the upper series, while section 1 of the lower series is again being drilled, it is possible to obtain a wholly new sequence of operation and yet obtain a continuous operation of the various cycles with continuous work progressing in these cycles on longitudinally off set as well as laterally offset sections. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

In Figure l I have illustrated a modified arrangement which may be used if desired, wherein six rather than four cycles are used. The face in this construction is divided into sections 1, 2, 3, 4t, 5 and 6. Here it will be understood that, assuming that section 1 has been drilled, section 2 is drilled as section 1 is mucked, 3 drilled as 2 is mucked, 4L drilled as 3 is mucked, 5 drilled as 4: is mucked, 6 drilled as 5 is mucked, and 6 mucked as 1 is drilled, completing the operation.

While I have in this application specifically described two embodiments which my invention may assume, it will be understood that these forms of the same are used for illustrative purposes and that the invention is not limited thereto, but is adapted to be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The step in advancing an inclined rock face sloping upward from the tunnel bottom and apportioned into a plurality of transverse series of laterally oflset sections, which consists in, drilling and mucking simultaneously on laterally offset sections in different transverse series.

2. The method of advancing an inclined rock face sloping upward from the tunnel bottom which consists in, apportioning the m 1 {as l w face into a plurality of transverse series of laterally oflset sections, and alternately drilling and mucking simultaneously laterally offset sections in the same and in different transverse series.

3. The method of advancing an inclined rock face sloping upward from the tunnel bottom which consists in, apportioning the face into a plurality of transverse series of laterally offset sections, drilling and mucking simultaneously in the same transverse series, repeating the above operations on sections in diiferent transverse series on opposite sides of the tunnel center line, and repeating the above steps in the sequence named.

4. The method of advancing an inclined rock face sloping upward from the tunnel bottom which consists in, apportioning the face into a plurality of transverse series of laterally oifset sections, drilling and mucking simultaneously in the same transverse series, repeating the above operations on sections in different transverse series on opposite sides of the tunnel center line, and alternating the above steps and reversing the last so that the final section is being mucked while the first section mucked is being redrilled.

5. The method of advancing an inclined rock face sloping upward from the tunnel bottom which consists in, apportioning the face longitudinally and transversely into two series of transverse series of laterally olfset sections, simultaneously drilling and mucking on sections on opposite sides of the center line of the lower transverse series, repeating the operations on the longitudinally spaced laterally ofiset sections of different transverse series, repeating the operations on different sections of the higher transverse series, and repeating the operations on diagonally opposite sections of diiferent transverse series.

6. The method of tunneling rock which consists in, forming an inclined face sloping upward from the tunnel bottom, drilling holes in said face to break out a second face substantially parallel to said first face in cluding shallow holes substantially at right angles to the inclined face and of substantially uniform depth between the top and bottom of the section of said face to be removed, and shooting said holes.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DANIEL J. OROURKE. 

